Constant speed control for strip annealing



Jan. 20, 1953 J. FRENCH CONSTANT SPEED CONTROL FOR STRIP ANNEALING Filed Jan. 15, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 o o 3 L a Jim. 20, 1953- J. FRENCH CONSTANT SPEED CONTROL FOR STRIP ANNEALING m9 m H wh E 2 40 C 10 a a u m m V m F L 6 6 S 3|||LH|||||J 1 U w u t v 9M w m n z n S v u h@ "T 5 mm .2 N u \o LE; 0 4H} 6% w J u x Q a, mmn J fi T h\ mm k M O: 4| m 2 RM T v "m v a n z r v w a. "m 2 my Q n n a x z. u \k. mm R P m m m Q i k @b P a WW HIM m .mm mm @m w w n J m u m u n. kw l M Q mm {L w -v m .3 m d 0 J N 3 ME .AQ WL d m m N 5% m N mw RN Jan. 20, 1953 J. FRENCH CONSTANT SPEED CONTROL FOR .STRIP ANNEALING -5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 15, 1948 I nvenioze a T Johnfie $0711,

943 M MW,

Jan. 20, 1953 .1. FRENCH CONSTANT SPEED CONTROL FOR STRIP ANNEALIQNG s fiheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 15, 1948 Jan. 20, 1953 J. FRENCH I CONSTANT SPEED CONTROL FOR STRIP ANNEALING Filed Jan 15, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 I wuenfoz' JOE/n Eeitgh.

Patented Jan. 20, 1953 CONSTANT SPEED CONTROL FOR STRIP ANNEALING John French, Ecorse, Mich., assignor to Revere Copper and Brass Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Maryland Application January 15, 1948, Serial No. 2,404

1 Claim.

My invention relates to apparatus for annealing and determining the grain size of metallic strip, and constitutes an improvement in the apparatus forming the subject matter of pending John French application Serial Number 745,873,

following description when read in the light of the accompanying drawings of a specific embodiment thereof selected for illustrative purposes, the scope of the invention being more particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a more or less diagrammatic plan view of apparatus according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a section through the reel on the line 2--2 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the reeling mechanism on the line 3--3 of Fig. 6, with parts in elevation, this section line being also applied to Fig. 1 for convenience in following the drawings;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, with parts omitted;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 14, with parts omitted, this section line being also applied to Fig. 9 for convenience in following the drawings;

Fig. 6 is a plan of the mechanism according to Fi 3;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view, with parts in section and parts broken away, of the lower portion of the instrument according to Figs. 11 and 12 for detachably rotatably securing the reel to the rotary reel supporting table;

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Fig. '7, with parts omitted;

Fig. 9 is an elevation of the reeling mechanism as viewed from the right of Figs. 6 and 14, with parts in section and parts broken away;

Fig. 10 is a section on the line [0-40 of Fig. 9, with parts omitted;

Fig. 11 is a section on the line I l-l I of Fig. 12;

Fig. 12 is an elevation of the instrument for detachably rotatably securing the reel to the rotary reel supporting table;

Fig. 13 is an elevation showing a detail of a portion of the lower end of the instrument according to Fig. 12; and

Fig. 14 is a section on the line I l-l4 of Fig. 3.

In common with the apparatus described by the above mentioned pending application, coils C (Fig. 1) of metallic strip S are unwound from reels U at a pay-off platform or station P and are rewound on reels W into coils CC at a rewinding platform or station R, the length of the strip between the coils passing through a heat treating furnace F for annealing the strip and giving it the desired grain size. The coils C and C0 are positioned at the platforms 1? and R with their axes vertical so that the strips pass through the furnace F on edge. By passing the strips about vertical guide rollers G at the pay-off and rewinding platforms the portions of the strips passing through the furnace may-be maintained in relatively closely spaced relation. The furnace F may be that described in said pending application, and the strip may be handled and 'the apparatus operated in the way described in that application.

Referring to the drawings, each reel W at the rewinding platform R is supported on a circular rotary table I (Figs. 6 and 9) received in a circular opening 3 formed in the plate 5 constituting the platform top. Beneath the platform top is positioned a frame comprising an upper horizontal inverted channel-iron I (Fig. 3 and 9) supported at each of opposite ends by a post 9. These posts, which are constituted by lengths of channel-irons, at their lower ends rest upon a plate I l forming part of a supporting base structure, the posts 9 being welded at their opposite ends to the plate H and the side flanges of the channel-irons I, respectively.

Welded to the lower side of the web of "the channel-iron I is shown a bearing block 13 (Fig. 9) in which is rotatably supported a vertical shaft 15 having an upper enlarged diameter portion IT. This portion H of the shaft is removably received within a circular recess 19 in the lower portion'of the rotary table I,the table being secured to this portion by a removable bolt 2| so that when the shaft is rotated the table must rotate with it. The web of the channel-iron 1 is shown as formed with an opening 23 (Fig. 9) through which the shaft l5 extends. Received in this opening, and resting upon the upper surface of the bearing block I3, is an anti-friction thrust bearing 25 cooperating with the enlarged diameter portion 11 of the shaft so that the table is supported upon thebearing block.

As shown, the shaft 15 and rotary table I are driven by an electric motor 21 carried by the plate 1 I. This motor is shown as connected through a coupling 29 to the input or driving shaft 3| (Fig. 14) of a fluid transmission the casing of which is shown at 33 also supported upon the plate I I. p The output or driven shaft 35 of the fluid transmission is shown as connected through a coupling 31 to a shaft 39 which drives a worm 4! contained in a casing 43, which casing likewise is supported upon the plate H. Within this casing is a wormwheel '45 meshing with the worm =31 so as to be driven thereby. The wormwheelisshown as fixedly carried by a vertical shaft 41 (Fig. 9) which extends upwardly from the casing 53 and at its upper end is journalled in .a bearing 49 carried by the bearing block I3. The shaft i! at its upper end fixedly carries a spur pinion which meshes with a spur gear 53 fixedly"carried at the lower end of the shaft 5. Thus when the motor 21 is set in operation the rotary table I will be driven at a slow rate rof-speed through the reduction gearing afforded by the fluid transmission, the worm and worm-wheel, and'the pi-nion and spur gear.

The 'iiuid transmission employed may be of the common type having .a'var-iable displacement oil-pump of the expansible chamber type, which 'pump places the 011 under pressure :and supplies "it to the inlet of a motor also .of the expansible chamber type, the discharge of the motor being "connected to the inlet of the pump so that the oil circulates in a'closed circuit through thezpump and motor. 'Thepump and :motor commonly are 'pos'iti'on'ed inasingle housing :from which-extends the control member of mechanism for -;ad3iusting the displacement of 'the :pump so that the speed of the motor may he adjusted by operation of said control member. fluid transmissions of "thisand other types constitute welliknownarticles of commerce, and the details thereof form no part of "the "present invention, :such transmission will not be described with any :more -particularity than necessary "to explain how it coacts with other elements of the improved .ap- 'paratus constituting applicants invention.

"The e'lectric motor employed is preferably :one of the substantially constant .speed type as, .for example, a synchronous OIiOthGI A. .C..:motor or asui'tably wound D.-"C.*mo'tor., :sothatxthe speedof the'rotary table I may be variedibyiadjustment'of the-output speed of the fluid transmission.

in the mechanism above described the pump and motor of the fluid transmission :are contained in the casing-33, thezsha'ftr3i :driven by the electric :motor 2'! being the fluid transmission input shaft which drives Bthe soil pump, :and the shaft -35 being the fluid transmission output shaft driven by motor :of the fluid transmission, while extending from the zcasin'g is an osniilatory shaft :55 constituting-the control vmemb'er for operating that mechanism :of the -.-fluid transmission which adjusts the displacement of the nil pump, sothat byturning the shafted into difierent .positions of radiustment thew-speed of the output shaft .85 may be varied While the speed of 'the electric motor 21 remains constant.

"lt will 'be observed *that to cause the reel W to-draw the strip through-thevfurnace F at-a constant Ilinear speed :the speed of rotation of the table I which rotates thereelmust be-progressiveilyidecreased as the diameter of'thecoil increases. For-securing this result in the present invention means are provided for progressively adjusting the control member 55 of the-fluid transmission toaoause #the speediof theoutpu-t shaft '35 of that tmnsmission progressively to decrease as the diameter of the coil builds up, "and at such rate that the linear speed 'at whichthe strip is drawn through the furnace will :remain substantially constant.

As shown, extending from one of the flanges of the channel-iron 1 is a smaller channel-iron 51 (Fig. 3) secured at one end to said flange by welding. At its opposite end the web of the channel-iron 5'! is shown as formed with an open- 59 Gig. '5) which receives the lower end p'ortion of a vertical sleeve 26 l 'llhisxsleeve, which is secured to said web by welding, extends upwardly through an opening 63 (Fig. 3) in the ,platform top 5 ,to the upper side of the latter. Journall'e'd in the "sleeve is an oscillatory vertical shaft 65 which at its upper end fixedly carries a swinging arm 151. 'fI-he outer end of the arm car- :riesroll'ers 69 which bear against the outer side of the'coilCJC being wound on the reel W so that .as the diameter of the coil progressively increases the arm will be progressively swung to the right as viewed in Fig. 6. As illustrated, the lower end of the oscillatory shaft 65 has a reduced diameter ,portion .H icEigra) which is received in the .bore .13 of theeentraIIy positioned :hubportion Id-of aidisk 11,, .the ;hub por.tion.at,its upper-end resting against the shoulder 19 .011 the shaft formed by the reduced diameter portion -'H thereof. At its lower end the shaft 65 .isshown as'formed with-a further reduced diameter ,portion '81 which .is screw-threaded and on which is removably screw-threaded .a nut .83 for memovably securing the disk to thelshaft. .Asshown, :fixedl-y secured totheshaft adjacent thehub .15 of the disk 1-1 is a .key .85 theJlower end 8'! (Fig. '9) =of which .is of V-shape :and is adapted to Lflt into any one of a plurality of V-.'shaped notches '89 (Figs 3, '9 and 14 formed (in the upper edge of the hub portion 1.5 of-thedisk .1! so that the disk may be fixedly secured to the -shaft in anyone of a ,plurality of selected positions .anghlarly of the shaft.

As illustrated, iahe control member 5515f the fluid transmission at its outer end fixedly carries .a lever .91 (Figs. 3 and is) which at an intermediate ,portion of its length is :connected by a "link -93 -to a slide .95. As :best illustrated shyQFigs. .3, 4 and 14, the slide .85 is supported .for longitudinal .movement in a longitudinally extending recess 9! in a guide blocl .99, :being retained .in saidrecess bystrips ,I-O-I securedto the uide-block by bolts [.93. -As shown, the guide block 99 .is .rigidly supported .from the channel-iron k5] .by plates I05 secured adjacent their upper edge to the flanges of :said channel-iron .by welding and adjacent their lower edges being secured-to the guide block .by-holts 1.01.

iBnovision is madeior-causing the slides! to be ;-moved to the left, :as viewedin Figs. 3 and 14,, as the diameter :0f the ,coil being Wound increases, so as to swing the fluid transmission control lever 91 :to :the left, as viewed in those .figures,.for so adjusting the output speed of the transmission thatthespeedof rotation. of thereel will begradually decreased as the diameter of the coil -being wound increases. Preferably this is accomplished by useofa cam device comprising acam element and a cooperating cam follower element, one of whichis carried by the slide .95 and theotherby the oscillatory-disk 11. Preferably, and as illustrated, the cam element is-ca-rried bythe disk and the cam follower element .by the slide.

.As illustrated, the cam element above mentioned takes the form-of a cam plate H39 removably secured'by bolts 'I H to the upper side of .the disk -17, upon which latter the cam plate rests. The cam .follower element is constituted by a roller 1 I3 positioned ina slot LI fiextendingacross the slide for its entire width, the roller being journalled on a pin II1 carried. by the slide. As shown, the roller is held at all times against the cam by a tension spring II9 (Fig. 3) secured at one end to the upper end of the lever 9| and at its other end to one of the flanges of the channeliron 1, while the rollers 59 on the swinging arm 61 are held at all times against the coil as it is being wound by a tension spring I2I (Figs 3 and 14) secured at one end toan eye I23 carried by and projecting from the under side of the disk 11 and at its opposite end to an eye I25 secured to and projecting downwardly from the guide block 99. Besides the cam plate I09 the disk 11, as illustrated, carries two further cam plates I21 and I29. Each of the three cam plates is of generally similar shape, but are so designed and positioned, relative to the axis of the disk 11, that when brought into cooperation with the cam roller I I3 each will maintain a different constant linear speed of the strip as the latter is being drawn through the furnace. The cam face of each cam plate comprises an arcuate portion A which progressively pushes the slide 95 to the left, as viewed in Fig. 14, as the disk 11 is rotated clockwise, as viewed in that figure, by reason of the building up of thecoil. Also each cam face comprises an arcuate portion B, concentric with the axis of the disk 11, for maintaining the contact between the cam plate and the roller II3 when the arm 61 (is swung to the right far enough, as viewed in Fig. 6, to permit the reel to be lifted from the rotary table I. At its opposite end each cam face is formed to provide a stop I3I for preventing the cam plate from moving out of cooperation with the roller II3 when a reel is not on the table I. The low point on the arcuate portion A of each cam face is preferably so positioned as to take I care of reels having arbors of minimum diameter,

while the high point on this arcuate portion is so positioned as to take care of the maximum diameter of coil being wound. The cam face of the cam plate I99 is so shaped and positioned as to give say the maximum constant linear speed at which the strip will be drawn through the furnace, say a speed of 20 feet per minute, corresponding to a maximum speed of rotation of the reel of about 7.6 R. P. M. if the diameter of its arbor is say 10 inches, and a minimum speed of rotation of the reel of about 2.5 R. P. M.if the maximum diameter of the coil being wound is say 30 inches. The cam face of the cam plate I21 may be so shaped and positioned as to secure a slower constant linear speed of drawing the strip through the furnace, say a speed of 15 feet per minute, corresponding to a maximum speed of rotation of the reel under the above conditions of about 5.7 R. P. M. and a minimum speed of rotation of about 1.9 R. P. M. The cam face of the cam plate I29 may be so shaped and positioned as to secure a still slower constant linear speed of drawing the strip through the furnace, say a speed of 10 feet per minute, corresponding under these same conditions to a maximum speed of rotation of the reel of about 3.8 R. P. M. and a minimum speed of rotation of about 1.3 R. P. M. As above explained, any one of the cam plates, to the exclusion of the others, may be brought into cooperation with the roller II3 by backing ofi the nut 83 (Fig. and turning the cam disk relative to the shaft 65 to bring the V-shaped end of the key 85 into cooperation with the proper notch 89 on the hub portion 15 of the disk 11. As shown (Fig. 14), three eyebolts I23 are provided so as to provide an eyebolt through which the end of the spring I2| may be hooked rehandle I31, and the construction being that of a familiar type of door bolt in which the casing is provided with upper and lower transverse slots I39 connected by a longitudinal slot (not shown) permitting movement of the handle I31 from ad- I jacent one slot I39 to adjacent the other for holding the pin in raised or lowered position when the pin is turned to move the handle into the transverse slots. When the arm is swung manually to the right the pin I35 may be raised so that it will be in the path of that arm at the left hand side thereof as viewed in Fig. 6, whereupon the handle I31 may be swung into the upper slot I39 to hold the pin in raised position, in which position it will prevent the spring I2I from returning the arm until the pin is again moved into its retracted position shown by Fig. 9.

The reel W, as shown by Figs. 2, 6, 9 and 10, comprises an arbor or body portion I il of considerable outside diameter, conveniently about ten inches, this arbor for reducing its weight being tubular and preferably of light weight metal such as aluminum or magnesium. As shown, the bore I43 of the arbor is generally square in crosssection and is open at each of opposite ends. Adjacent each end the bore is formed with a pair of opposite slots I45 the uppermost pair of which may receive a crane hook of the so-called icetong type for lifting the reel from the table I when it is charged with strip, the square crosssection of the bore facilitating application of such hook and the maintaining of it in proper relation to the reel. At each end the arbor of the reel is recessed to form a flange I41, in which recesses are received the inner edge portions of the annular disks or reel end plates I49, preferably of aluminum or magnesium. As shown, these annular end plates at their outer peripheries are circular and at their inner peripheries present openings I5I (Fig. 6) which fit the outer walls of the flanges I41. As shown, the end plates are secured to the arbor I4I of the reel by screws I53, and, if desired, may be further secured by welding the walls of their openings I5I to the flanges I41, as indicated at I (Fig. 9).

For detachably securing the reel to the table I the instrument shown by Figs. 6 to 13 may be employed. As shown, this instrument, which is preferably formed of light weight material such as aluminum or magnesium, comprises an elongated tubular body portion I51 carrying a handle I59 at its upper end, preferably secured thereto by welding as indicated at I6I (Fig. 12). At its lower end it is shown as carrying the four radially extending sheet metal vanes I53 secured thereto by welding as indicated at I (Fig. 11), these vanes being reinforced by sheet metal strips I51 welded at opposite ends thereof to the vanes as indicated at I69 (Figs. '7 and 12). Carried by the lower end of the tubular body portion I51 is a head I1I which, as shown, is square in crosssection. This head has a reduced diameter shank I13 received within and fitting the bore I15 of the tubular body portion I51 (see Fig. 8), those portions I11 of the head which project beyond the outer surface of the tubular body portion being welded to the latter as indicated at I19 (Fig. 13).

By use or the handle J59 the instrument may .be

its-corners so as rotatively to connect the instrumentito the reel. The table I at its upper side is formed with a coaxial opening 183 :(Fig. 9) which is square in cross-section and receives the similarly shaped head I'H of the instrument so as toiconn'ect the latter to the table. Thus when "the instrument is :50 inserted the reel is detach- ;aiblyrsecured to .the table and is forced to rotate withit.

it will be understood :that within the vscopeof the appended claim wide deviations may be made :Irom'th'e :forms of the invention described without departing :from the spirit of the invention.

i'claimz Reeling mechanism for movin a strip longitudinally and windingit into a coil comprising a substantially constant speed electric driving anchor and .a :fluid transmission driven by said motor for so moving and so winding the strip; the fluid transmission having a control member for *varying its output speed whereby to vary the angular speed at which the strip is wound into a coil; mechanism adapted to be operated by the coilbeing wound for operating said control mem- :ber comprisingaswinging arm-operatively adapt- -ed to contact with the outersurface of the coil and :to be swung by such contact as the diameter :of the coil increases, said mechanism also comprising a plurality of cams each mounted at a different distance from a common axis of rotation and also means for causing said cams .to be rotated about said axis by the swinging .of said arm, said mechanism ,further comprising a cam .-follower adapted to cooperate with any of said cams for causing that earn to operate said con- 8 trol .member as said cam is rotated by sw nging of said arm, .eacheam being shaped to cause said control member progressively to decrease the output speed of said transmission 'for causing the strip to move longitudinally at .a substantially constant speed; and means ior adjustably positioning, angularly relative to said arm, each of said cams to the exclusion of the others into co operating relation with saidcam follower whereby the strip may be moved longitudinally at any of a plurality of predetermined substantially constant speeds.

JOHN JERENCH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES "PATENTS Number .Name .Date

620,332 Kustner Feb. 28, .1899 890,252 Thompson June 9,, 1908 1,122,878 Dowler Dec. 29, 1.914 1,652,299 Carpenter .,Dec. 13, 1,927 1,822,495 Laycock .Sept. 8, 1931 1,925,580 Anderson ,Sept. 5, 1933 2,164,600 Tyler July 4, 1939 2,190,529 Bretschneider Feb. 13, 1940 2,192,778 Stacy 'Mar. .5, 19.40 2,202,563 Mikaelson. 1\/Iay 28., .1940 2,217,966 Perkins .Oct. .15, 1940 2,278,136 Otis et a1. Mar. 3, .1942 2,351,264 Harrington .et a1. June 13, 1944 2,363,585 Grosser Nov. 28, 1944 2,416,860 Waldie .Mar. 4, .1947 2,431,159 .Bates Nov. 18, 1947 OTHER REFERENCES .Bookle't: Reeves Automatic Production Control #T-361, pagesl and 13. Receivedin Div. 61. March 5, 1936. (Cop in 242475.115) 

